From grassroots inspiration to global impact, Asif Akhter and Mrs. Farheen are transforming education by bridging the gap between academics and industry.
The entrepreneurial journey of Asif Akhter and Mrs. Farheen did not begin with a single defining moment. It evolved gradually through lived experiences, observations, and a shared understanding of the education landscape.
Asif, trained as an Electrical and Electronics Engineer, began his professional career in Doha, Qatar, where he worked on projects associated with the FIFA World Cup in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Club. This exposure to large-scale systems and global work culture helped shape his understanding of execution and industry expectations.
Alongside this, Mrs. Farheen brought her own perspective and strength to the foundation, contributing to the vision with a grounded understanding of learning ecosystems and operational realities. Together, they began to see a common gap — the disconnect between academic knowledge and practical industry application.
For Asif, the connection to education has always been personal. In his village in Bihar, his grandfather played a key role in establishing the first government school, even donating land for it. A girls’ school later started within the same premises, with his grandfather serving as principal.
This environment shaped his belief that education is not just a system, but a responsibility.
Mrs. Farheen shared a similar belief in the transformative power of education. Together, their values aligned around one core idea — making learning more meaningful, accessible, and practical.
In 2016, Asif Akhter and Mrs. Farheen co-founded Prinston Smart Engineers with a clear and focused vision: to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
The idea did not emerge overnight. It came from consistent interactions with students, colleges, and companies. They observed a recurring pattern — students were academically strong but lacked practical exposure, while industries struggled to find job-ready talent.
Recognizing this gap, they decided to build a platform that could connect both worlds effectively.
Both founders understood early on that the issue was not the absence of education, but the lack of alignment between stakeholders. Some key challenges stood out:
Instead of trying to solve everything at once, they focused on a clear direction — practical learning, industry exposure, and strong connections.
Over time, Prinston Smart Engineers expanded its offerings, keeping one principle at the centre: learning by doing.
Having worked with 450+ colleges across India and expanding internationally with institutions like Excelia Business Group, France, the organization has steadily built a strong academic and global presence.
The company provides:
What sets their approach apart is the execution. Programs are led by industry experts, students work on live projects, and training is designed to be both affordable and accessible. The goal is not just to educate, but to prepare.
In 2024, the founders expanded their vision further with the launch of CourseSeekho, a platform focused on structured, skill-based online learning.
With this step, Asif Akhter and Mrs. Farheen entered the digital education space, aiming to make industry-relevant training accessible to a wider audience. The platform focuses on emerging fields such as Data Science and Cyber Security, complementing their existing work by adding flexibility and scale.
Like any entrepreneurial journey, this one came with its own challenges.
Convincing colleges to adopt new training models required time and trust. Finding the right trainers who could combine technical expertise with practical insights was another hurdle. Managing growth with limited resources in the early stages added further pressure.
Despite this, both founders remained focused on consistency. By delivering quality programs and building long-term relationships, they gradually established credibility in a competitive space.
One of the major turning points was signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Karnataka.
This collaboration significantly expanded their reach across engineering colleges and strengthened their position within the education ecosystem.
Another key milestone was the launch of CourseSeekho, marking their entry into scalable online education.
The founders share an ambitious yet grounded vision for the future — to make students truly industry-ready.
Their roadmap includes:
At its core, their mission remains unchanged — helping students move from theoretical learning to practical application with confidence.
Their advice is simple and rooted in experience:
Start with a real problem. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Begin with what you have. Stay consistent, even when growth feels slow. Build trust, because it matters more than quick wins.
They also emphasize understanding the fundamentals of business — marketing, finance, and operations are just as important as the idea itself.
Above all, they believe that persistence and adaptability define the journey.
The journey of Asif Akhter and Mrs. Farheen is not about rapid success, but about steady progress and clarity of purpose.
Through Prinston Smart Engineers and CourseSeekho, they are working towards reshaping how education connects with industry — making it more practical, accessible, and relevant.
Their work reflects a simple but powerful idea: education should not just inform, it should prepare.
Website:https://www.prinstonsmart.com
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/asif-akhter-b959a22b
I am an entrepreneur, marketer, and mentor with a certification in entrepreneurship from IIT Delhi, one of the most prestigious institutions in India. I have a passion for connecting businesses with their ideal customers, solving real-world problems, and inspiring the next generation of founders.I founded and lead DevoByte, a digital marketing agency that provides a range of services, from SEO a
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